Integrating Business Language into the High School Curriculum

Mary Risner CIBER-April 8, 2006University of Florida Atlanta, GAmaryr@ufl.edu

Overview

1986 Survey/Article-Grosse 20 Years later CIBER high school endeavors 2 Models/Problems What to do from here? Possible Strategies

Survey

Sample: 20 most populous states Phone interviews to state f.l. supervisors Response rate 90% (18/20) 3 open-ended questions:

Does curriculum include business language? Special program, units or courses? Plans to implement in next 5 years?

*Survey by Christine Grosse

Results

Few states offer LSP Courses/units/programs: MA, VA, TN, LA State curriculum policy: FL, WI

But nothing regularly offered Not much hope for future offerings due to

lack of time teachers must dedicate to other foreign language mandates and goals

Conclusions/Recommendations

Encourage offering of “mini-units” on LSP topics within regular language courses where possible

In future attempts to gather foreign language information, survey district supervisors and specifically magnet schools, intl. h.s. or schools with large minority language populations

20 Years Later

Checked schools that had programs/policy in 1986:

MA-no VA- no TN-pending response LA- no FL- yes WI-no* NC- yes* CA- yes

CIBER K-12 Endeavor Categories

Workshops/Training:2-day, 1 wk, 2 wk, certificate program (night course), sponsorships for teachers to attend workshops

Materials creation:ICE, French textbook, Course pkts., case studies, Exige (assessment for Spanish)

Events:Speaker series, career fairs, student

competitions

Curriculum development: Certificate programs, diploma program,

possible IB track for business

Partners: High schools and academies/magnet schools,

foreign high schools, Model Nations, State Councils on Economic Development, National Council on Econ. Dev., local World Trade Centers, Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad

Available listed resources:www.ncee.netwww.kidseconposters.comwww.frenchteachers.org/general/DOEgrant/Di

sneyland/title.htmhttp://sage.tamu.eduhttp://worldroom.tamu.edu

OtherNo K-12 projects (2)Broad projects for international studies

2 Models

FloridaPort Charlotte H.S.

CaliforniaSan Dieguito Union H.S./SDSU

North CarolinaWill gather more information

Problems Integrating LSP in K-12

Curriculum already full Convincing district and state

administrations of usefulness Dearth of materials at 6-12 levels Lack of centralized location of

opportunities for K-12 LSP training/materials

What to do from here?

Examine curriculum requirements? Materials? Mini-Units? Accessible/affordable training? Advocacy? (primarily at academies) Resource dissemination?

Possible Strategies

Create CIBER presence at national language conferences

CIBER contact with regional/state foreign language associations

Disseminate CIBER resource /training information directly to district supervisors and assoc.

Separate available programs to participate in on CIBER web (easier access)

Put K-12 business language resources/training on Title VI Outreach websites

Subsidize more K-12 participation at annual CIBER conference/create special workshops for k-12

Surveys:District supervisorsTeacher interest/needs?Information for state/district DOE

requirements

Possible Survey

Grade level, language, school Academy, magnet? IB, AP, Honors programs? Currently offer business language? If not, would you like to? Do you think professional/vocational

language is important?

Do your courses offer professional/career units?

Would you be interested in training to teach business language?

Would you use business language materials for your courses if resources were provided for you?

Discussion

Other possible questions? Administration of survey?

References

“Pedagogy: Secondary Schools-Foreign Languages for Business in the Secondary Curriculum”. Hispania, (71),Cristine Grosse, 1988.

“International Business Education: Outreach Initiatives for Grades K-12”. Purdue University, Fall 2005.

SDSU-Steve Loughrin, forthcoming article State DOE websites and emails